NPP Youth Hold Assembly Members Hostage

Angry Youth of the Lower Manya Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) last weekend besieged the premises of the Manya Krobo District Administration in the Eastern Region of Ghana and held members of the assembly who were in session hostage.

They also prevented the assembly members from voting to endorse the President's nominee, Mr Andrews Teye, for the position of District Chief Executive (DCE). The youth, who wore red bands, chanted war songs amidst drumming, and also barricaded the road leading to the assembly hall to prevent electoral officials from entering the hall.

The angry youth, armed with sticks and iron bars were not deterred by three warning shots fired by armed police personnel detailed to maintain peace and order. The helpless police personnel, apparently complying with a directive not to fire tear gas had no option but to retreat with the electoral officials.

Members of the assembly, after being held in captivity for several hours, resolved to convene the meeting at a secret venue at Akuse to carry on with the voting but the angry youth, who became suspicious, locked the main entrance with padlocks to prevent any car from leaving the assembly premises. After a crisis meeting held behind closed doors, it was decided that the elections be postponed to an unspecified date.

A spokesman for the youth accused the Presidents nominee, Mr Teye, of conniving with the regional executive of the party to get the assembly members to endorse him.

The youth further accuse the regional executive of intentionally refusing to submit the application filed by the party's parliamentary candidate for the constituency in the last elections who lost to the NDC. They also maintain that Mr. Teye is not known in the party's circles in the constituency and therefore, their action was to prevent infiltration into the party.

The 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana mandates the President to nominate people to the position of DCE’s. Members of the district assemblies however vote on the nominees. The nominee that secures two-thirds majority of votes becomes the District Chief Executive.